375 kms west of Bangalore is the district headquarters of Dakshina Kannada-Mangalore. With an important port, this coastal town is a major commercial center. Mangalore could be your entry point to Beach Country with its virgin and unexplored beaches. While in Mangalore try and see a Yakshagana performance an elaborate dance form unique to Karnataka. The Kambala (buffalo race) is another exciting event.

Population : 480,000
Best Season : September-February.
Telephone Code : 0824
Language Spoken : Kannada, English, Tamil.

HISTORY
At one point Mangalore was the major seaport and shipbuilding center of Hyder Ali's kingdom today it's a center for the export of coffee and cashew nuts. Mangalore is a city in Karnataka which is named after the goddess Mangaladevi, lying on the backwaters formed by the Netravati and Gurpur rivers, it has long been a roadstead along the Malabar Coast. It has several pilgrim centers. Lying in the Western coast and touching the Arabian Sea, Mangalore has been historically a ship building center.